Icing and Frosting:Inspiration from Winter
Today, much of the US is under a severe winter weather advisory. In St Louis, we're due for an inch of ice followed by a foot of snow. I love how the weather channel says that we will have a "wintery mix". That sounds like fun! A wintery mix of raining gumdrops, candy canes....and DEATH!
Even though the ice and "wintery mix" is yucky, once the sun comes out and shines on everything, it looks like diamonds. While the winter leaves me wanting bold colors and summer sun, I find a lot of fashion inspiration from these harsh, dark months. I hope you enjoy these vintage winter jewels. Stay safe and cozy, sweeties!
image from Joielala Photography Couture Inspiration hair accessory by Rachel Larraine
cashmere pom pom scarf Sassi Holford White fur-trimmed boots by Salvatore Ferragamo
Even though the ice and "wintery mix" is yucky, once the sun comes out and shines on everything, it looks like diamonds. While the winter leaves me wanting bold colors and summer sun, I find a lot of fashion inspiration from these harsh, dark months. I hope you enjoy these vintage winter jewels. Stay safe and cozy, sweeties!
cashmere pom pom scarf Sassi Holford White fur-trimmed boots by Salvatore Ferragamo
vogue knits
clear lucite purse from vintage martini
handmade white wool cloche from yellowfield7 on etsy
clear lucite shoes image from http://www.twolia.com
When Vintage Fashion isn't Appropriate Attire
Have you ever had a moment when you felt a tad...over dressed? When wearing vintage clothes made you feel like a crazy person? It happened to me this morning...
last night, I had the most horrible lower back pain. I tried advil, yoga, a massage, a hot shower- NOTHING worked. Eventually, I got comfortable (or maybe just too tired) and fell asleep. 3:00am rolled around and I was wide awake with pain right over my left kidney and feeling quite ready to toss my cookies. I was good and called my doctor's 24 hour exchange and was directed to go to the hospital.
It was 3am, I was in my undies and I hurt so bad, I could cry. I grabbed the nearest, easy thing to wear which was that 1940's wrap dress I just made. As I was packing the diaper bag as quick as I could, I slipped into a pair of comfy flats (black maryjanes) and headed out the door with no coat. Luckily, I had a coat in the car. Unfortunately, it was a 1950's gorgeous green wool coat with a fur collar. So, There I was at 4am, in pain- in the hospital decked out like I was going dancing or something. I felt completely ridiculous and have never been so happy to put on one of those fabulous hospital gowns!
On the plus side, they say everything is just fine. Baby is a wiggle worm, I don't have a kidney problem and I probably pulled a muscle or baby hit a nerve. The doctor gave me a few percoset and sent me home.
The percoset was...interesting. I have never tried acid or crack or anything like that but I imagine that 2 percoset is a lot like what it's like. I took them at the hospital and then Pj and I popped into Steak n' Shake for a much needed breakfast. Breakfast was uh-mazing but by 5am, I was in the Steak n Shake parking lot- nearly tossing my cookies, hanging half out my car in 30 degrees in my little wrap dress with my head feeling like it was made of jello. Not so nice! Within an hour or so, the not-so-funhouse feeling wore off and I was human again. *sigh* I'm happy to be back home...and I think I'll just stick with tylenol! :)
last night, I had the most horrible lower back pain. I tried advil, yoga, a massage, a hot shower- NOTHING worked. Eventually, I got comfortable (or maybe just too tired) and fell asleep. 3:00am rolled around and I was wide awake with pain right over my left kidney and feeling quite ready to toss my cookies. I was good and called my doctor's 24 hour exchange and was directed to go to the hospital.
It was 3am, I was in my undies and I hurt so bad, I could cry. I grabbed the nearest, easy thing to wear which was that 1940's wrap dress I just made. As I was packing the diaper bag as quick as I could, I slipped into a pair of comfy flats (black maryjanes) and headed out the door with no coat. Luckily, I had a coat in the car. Unfortunately, it was a 1950's gorgeous green wool coat with a fur collar. So, There I was at 4am, in pain- in the hospital decked out like I was going dancing or something. I felt completely ridiculous and have never been so happy to put on one of those fabulous hospital gowns!
On the plus side, they say everything is just fine. Baby is a wiggle worm, I don't have a kidney problem and I probably pulled a muscle or baby hit a nerve. The doctor gave me a few percoset and sent me home.
The percoset was...interesting. I have never tried acid or crack or anything like that but I imagine that 2 percoset is a lot like what it's like. I took them at the hospital and then Pj and I popped into Steak n' Shake for a much needed breakfast. Breakfast was uh-mazing but by 5am, I was in the Steak n Shake parking lot- nearly tossing my cookies, hanging half out my car in 30 degrees in my little wrap dress with my head feeling like it was made of jello. Not so nice! Within an hour or so, the not-so-funhouse feeling wore off and I was human again. *sigh* I'm happy to be back home...and I think I'll just stick with tylenol! :)
outfits
sewing
vintage maternity
In an effort to sew more this year and to make things that I actually need, I've made a list of things I want to sew and when I plan to sew them. First, I'm starting with dresses with front openings. When the baby gets here, I'll need plenty of things that are easy to wear for nursing. If there are any other nursing mothers out there, do check out my post about Vintage Style for Nursing Mommas.
For the fabric, I really wanted a pretty floral so I found this silky print at JoAnne fabrics. I originally fell in love with a cotton print but the feel and drape of this silky fabric won my heart. It doesn't wrinkle very easily too, which is a beautiful thing for a busy momma.
I know, I said no more blue but I just had to have it. It has a hint of yellow and that bold red next to muted blue was so irresistible! Pj is always my voice of reason and he has agreed on my no blue rule since I mentioned it so I consulted him on the subject. He said "It's not blue, it's floral- that's different!" I love that guy!!
This was a super easy dress to make and the pattern instructions are very clear and easy to follow. I cut it out yesterday morning and sewed it up within 4 hours. I did hand sew the hem of the sleeve and skirt, which wasn't calculated into that 4 hours.This will be a great spring/summer dress that I can dress up or down and wear long after my nursing days are over. I love it so much (and it was so fast to sew) I think I may have to whip up one or two more! The only thing I really didn't like about this outfit was my modern bra *yuck*! Next time, I'll be sure to wear one of my vintage bras to get a better 1940's shape.
Today, we took Olivia out for date night with us and we had a BLAST!! We took her to McDonald's for dinner because they have a really cool salt water aquarium that I thought she would love...and of course, chicken nuggets with lots of ketchup! After dinner, we went to the book store across the street so she could pick out a new book. She loves to read and loves Sesame Street so she chose an Elmo book with a little Elmo puppet attached to it. We had a little bit of a hard time not pulling books on the shelf and tossing them on the floor but she was a good girl and helped pick them up and put them right back where she found them. Here we are, applauding her listening to mommy and putting the books away. Next step: teach her to put books away when we're at home! :)
January Sewing Project: 1948 Wrap Dress
In an effort to sew more this year and to make things that I actually need, I've made a list of things I want to sew and when I plan to sew them. First, I'm starting with dresses with front openings. When the baby gets here, I'll need plenty of things that are easy to wear for nursing. If there are any other nursing mothers out there, do check out my post about Vintage Style for Nursing Mommas.
The Pattern
Even though its the end of January, it's not too late to whip up a quick dress to keep my sewing schedule on track. My first project was this 1948 robe, which I have altered to make a wrap dress. I love the flattering drape of a wrap dress. They're so comfortable, classic and wonderful to wear if you plan on going clothes shopping and will be in and out of the dressing room.This pattern is a Retro Butterick re-release and is available at your local fabric store up to size 24.
My Changes
I like the idea of this pattern but I wanted to make sure that it wouldn't come flying open at any moment like a robe would. So, I attached long ties to each opening at the front waist section. In my version, I split the side seam open at the waist about an inch and a half so that one tie goes through the hole, wraps around the back and ties in a bow at the side, like a normal wrap blouse or dress would. This simple adjustment really helps to keep everything in place where it should be and prevents any wardrobe malfunctions. I also shortened the skirt to just below the knee and left the frilly lace off of mine. I sewed a snap in the front to keep the "cleavage" area closed as well. With my alterations (and in a size 22) I used 3 1/2 yards of fabric. Oh, and here I am at 28 weeks! I'm not sure why there's no big belly in that first pic. I guess I was leaning forward or something? Very strange...For the fabric, I really wanted a pretty floral so I found this silky print at JoAnne fabrics. I originally fell in love with a cotton print but the feel and drape of this silky fabric won my heart. It doesn't wrinkle very easily too, which is a beautiful thing for a busy momma.
I know, I said no more blue but I just had to have it. It has a hint of yellow and that bold red next to muted blue was so irresistible! Pj is always my voice of reason and he has agreed on my no blue rule since I mentioned it so I consulted him on the subject. He said "It's not blue, it's floral- that's different!" I love that guy!!
Our Outing with Olivia
Today, we took Olivia out for date night with us and we had a BLAST!! We took her to McDonald's for dinner because they have a really cool salt water aquarium that I thought she would love...and of course, chicken nuggets with lots of ketchup! After dinner, we went to the book store across the street so she could pick out a new book. She loves to read and loves Sesame Street so she chose an Elmo book with a little Elmo puppet attached to it. We had a little bit of a hard time not pulling books on the shelf and tossing them on the floor but she was a good girl and helped pick them up and put them right back where she found them. Here we are, applauding her listening to mommy and putting the books away. Next step: teach her to put books away when we're at home! :)
building a vintage wardrobe
outfits
I Love Color
As I mentioned in my New Year's Closet Resolutions post, I am on a mission to add more color to my wardrobe this year. My past outfits lean towards blue, brown, gray- all fabulous colors but I never paired them with the right things to make everything pop. When I was a baby, I used to sit on my mom's lap while she worked at her art table, never touching the art or her pencils but always very curious and in awe. To this day, I love to hang out in her studio with her while she works. My grandfather is an artist too so appreciation for color has always been a big part of my life.
The Science of Color
Color can have a very intense impact on your mood and actions.Blue suppresses the appetite, yellow makes you feel energetic and restless, green is calming. I always feel very different when I wear a bold color than when I wear something bland. When I was a teenager, I used to dye my hair red or blue in the winter because the bright color seemed to make me feel better when I started feeling the winter blues. Now, I surround myself in color through my home decor, sewing projects and clothes and it really does seem to help. I always feel prettier and happier in a green dress than I do in a brown one, what about you?
Don't be afraid of color and remember to use neutrals
Color is scary to some people and that's understandable. You think "this dress has blue and yellow in it so I need to find a blue or yellow cardigan to wear over it." Have fun with color and think outside of the box. Refer to your color wheel to see what colors look good with that shade of blue or yellow. If in doubt, toss a neutral color in the mix. The Budget Fashionista hit the nail on the head with her advice to a reader about pairing colors and using neutrals:
The Budget Fashionista's Advice on Color Scheme
The Budget Fashionistas Neutral Colors Fashion advice
Get Inspired
Another great way to find inspiration for color combinations is through home decorating. Look through magazines, books and watch home decorating shows to see how the pros combine bold colors for high impact. Next time you're at your local hardware store, grab a few paint swatches of your favorite colors and make your own fashion color wheel to keep in your purse when you're out shopping.
Here are some of my very favorite combinations:
Red, Yellow and Aqua
Navy, Red-Orange and Grey (like my blog!)
Mint Green, Dark Gray and Lilac
Black, light pink and Cream
A Rainbow of Fashion: How to Use The Color Wheel
As I mentioned in my New Year's Closet Resolutions post, I am on a mission to add more color to my wardrobe this year. My past outfits lean towards blue, brown, gray- all fabulous colors but I never paired them with the right things to make everything pop. When I was a baby, I used to sit on my mom's lap while she worked at her art table, never touching the art or her pencils but always very curious and in awe. To this day, I love to hang out in her studio with her while she works. My grandfather is an artist too so appreciation for color has always been a big part of my life.
The Science of Color
Color can have a very intense impact on your mood and actions.Blue suppresses the appetite, yellow makes you feel energetic and restless, green is calming. I always feel very different when I wear a bold color than when I wear something bland. When I was a teenager, I used to dye my hair red or blue in the winter because the bright color seemed to make me feel better when I started feeling the winter blues. Now, I surround myself in color through my home decor, sewing projects and clothes and it really does seem to help. I always feel prettier and happier in a green dress than I do in a brown one, what about you?
Don't be afraid of color and remember to use neutrals
Color is scary to some people and that's understandable. You think "this dress has blue and yellow in it so I need to find a blue or yellow cardigan to wear over it." Have fun with color and think outside of the box. Refer to your color wheel to see what colors look good with that shade of blue or yellow. If in doubt, toss a neutral color in the mix. The Budget Fashionista hit the nail on the head with her advice to a reader about pairing colors and using neutrals:
The Budget Fashionista's Advice on Color Scheme
The Budget Fashionistas Neutral Colors Fashion advice
Get Inspired
Another great way to find inspiration for color combinations is through home decorating. Look through magazines, books and watch home decorating shows to see how the pros combine bold colors for high impact. Next time you're at your local hardware store, grab a few paint swatches of your favorite colors and make your own fashion color wheel to keep in your purse when you're out shopping.
Here are some of my very favorite combinations:
Red, Yellow and Aqua
Navy, Red-Orange and Grey (like my blog!)
Mint Green, Dark Gray and Lilac
Black, light pink and Cream
Book Review: 1940's Style Guide: The Complete Illustrated Guide to 1940's Fashion for Women
I was recently contacted by Debbie Wells, author of The 1940's Style Guide: A Complete Illustrated Guide to 1940's Fashion for Women to use an image of 1940's tap pants from mine and Amanda's etsy shop in her book. Of course, we said yes and eagerly awaited the completion of the book.
She forwarded the ebook to me to review a few weeks ago and I loved it so much, I wanted to share it with you!
Let me start by noting that I am a complete fashion history nerd! Since high school, I've been studying various periods of fashion history from the 14th century to the early 1960's. The 1940's Style Guide is like a text book for wartime fashion enthusiasts. If you love to read reference books like I do, you will probably love it too! Of course, if you don't like text books, it's probably not the fashion book for you. 1940's Style Guide is an ebook so you can save it to your computer or print it out at home .My favorite aspect of this book is that, unlike many vintage fashion books, it contained more information than just pretty pictures.
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| Sample page from 1940's Style Guide |
History- I love how the book explains the history behind 1940's style. Since wartime fashions were dictated by rations, this book explains what types of fabrics and trims were available as well as length allowed for skirts, sleeves, amount of pockets to be used and so on.
Organization- The book is very well organized according to garment type so its easy to find the information that you're looking for. Images of each garment are on the same page as the garment description.
Images- Each page of the book has several beautiful images of 1940's fashions. Some are full color, some are original black and white photos from the era. The images really help to explain the garment's style and construction.
Debbie mentioned that this book will be revised and updated in the future so I look forward to seeing what she comes up with. I really enjoyed the basic 40's hairstyles section and the jewelry and accessories section. I hope that the revised volumes elaborate more on those topics because I'm a big fan of accessories and hair tutorials! You can read more about 1940's Style Guide on the 1940's Style Guide Website. I hope everyone who reads it enjoys it as much as I did!
*Vintage Bloggers, If you read and enjoy 1940's Style Guide, be sure to join the Affiliate Program*
free downloads
free pattern
sewing
I don't know if any of my readers also read Cargo Cult Craft but if you don't, you really should! Susannah, the author is incredibly fashionable, crafty, inspiring and hilarious!
I am so sad that I just stumbled upon her blog today because her "Fashion on the Ration" challenge ended on Saturday! In this challenge, Susannah spent one year building her wardrobe on wartime rations imposed by the British government in 1941. She sewed a lot of 1940's garments, but of course, her fabric was rationed as well.
I'm really impressed (not only by her mad sewing skills) but by her commitment to this difficult challenge. Many of us vintage fashion enthusiasts today often forget what kind of life ladies had back then and I think a girl like Susannah makes us all think about how lucky we are to be living in 2011!
Anyway, Susannah has kindly uploaded a -fabulous- copy of a wartime Make and Mend booklet. It's a wonderful book, detailing many 1940's crafts (sewing, crochet, knitting, hat-making, etc) with loads of patterns, instructions, 1940's illustrations and photos and much more. It also has a lot of great information on caring for your garments and making them last longer. For ladies who want to learn to sew, this book has instructions for basic clothing repairs and hand-sewing techniques. I particularly love the section on making a woman's suit from a man's suit. A home front gal could easily clothe herself and her kiddos in high style with this book. Head over here to be directed to the two part, free download. Thank you, Susannah!!
Wartime Make Do and Mend Booklet Download
UPDATE: the blog that originally posted this booklets isn't available anymore. I found a website that does have it though, you can check it out at Archive.org
I don't know if any of my readers also read Cargo Cult Craft but if you don't, you really should! Susannah, the author is incredibly fashionable, crafty, inspiring and hilarious!
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| "The Sabotage Skirt" from Cargo Cult Craft |
I am so sad that I just stumbled upon her blog today because her "Fashion on the Ration" challenge ended on Saturday! In this challenge, Susannah spent one year building her wardrobe on wartime rations imposed by the British government in 1941. She sewed a lot of 1940's garments, but of course, her fabric was rationed as well.
I'm really impressed (not only by her mad sewing skills) but by her commitment to this difficult challenge. Many of us vintage fashion enthusiasts today often forget what kind of life ladies had back then and I think a girl like Susannah makes us all think about how lucky we are to be living in 2011!
Anyway, Susannah has kindly uploaded a -fabulous- copy of a wartime Make and Mend booklet. It's a wonderful book, detailing many 1940's crafts (sewing, crochet, knitting, hat-making, etc) with loads of patterns, instructions, 1940's illustrations and photos and much more. It also has a lot of great information on caring for your garments and making them last longer. For ladies who want to learn to sew, this book has instructions for basic clothing repairs and hand-sewing techniques. I particularly love the section on making a woman's suit from a man's suit. A home front gal could easily clothe herself and her kiddos in high style with this book. Head over here to be directed to the two part, free download. Thank you, Susannah!!
outfits
vintage maternity
On Wednesday, every patch of snow had finally melted and I could see all of the green again. And then Wednesday night happened. The St. Louis area received between 8.5 and 12 inches of snow in one evening, which hasn't happened around here since before I was born!
I cannot wait for spring to get here so I pulled something fun and colorful out of my closet to brighten the day. This cardigan isn't quite finished yet but I love the color and feel of it so I wore it anyway. It's inspired by a cardigan tutorial that was recently featured on Grosgrain. Also, I'm really loving the maryjanes and socks! I've seen it done all over the place but never tried it. It keeps my feet warm, helps shoes to be more comfy and I love the fun, little girl feel of them. Expect many more cute socks in the future!
Thursday is date night for Pj and I so we dropped Olivia off at his mom's house and headed out in the snow for dinner and window shopping. The restaurant manager gave us free desert for coming in during inclement weather so we picked chocolate ravioli. It's a puff pastry full of melty chocolate with a warm chocolate sauce drizzled on top and whipped cream. YUM!
After dinner, we cruised around town and enjoyed the non-crowded mall and great parking spots since no one else was out and about in the cold. In our travels, I found the perfect fabric for a 1940's wrap dress that I'll be making soon! :)
We stopped at a video game store so Pj could check out what kind of games he can get for his new Wii and I met a 3 year old little girl who was fascinated by my watering can purse. She invited me over to her house so I can help her water her mommy's garden. She said that she has a little watering can that really works and I can use it! :)
Outfit
70's Red and White Butterfly print Pinafore dress- estate sale?
cardiagn-thirfted, embellished by me
red and blue V for Victory bird pins- thirfted (FISH St Charles)
blueberry beret- Christmas gift from my mom
black maryjanes- thirfted, Salvation Army
Red Belt- The Vintage Haberdashery, St Louis
Red and butterscotch bakelite bangles- various thirft stores (thick red one, Christmas gift from Amanda)
Watering Can Purse- Gift from Grandma
A Craving for Springtime
I cannot wait for spring to get here so I pulled something fun and colorful out of my closet to brighten the day. This cardigan isn't quite finished yet but I love the color and feel of it so I wore it anyway. It's inspired by a cardigan tutorial that was recently featured on Grosgrain. Also, I'm really loving the maryjanes and socks! I've seen it done all over the place but never tried it. It keeps my feet warm, helps shoes to be more comfy and I love the fun, little girl feel of them. Expect many more cute socks in the future!
Thursday is date night for Pj and I so we dropped Olivia off at his mom's house and headed out in the snow for dinner and window shopping. The restaurant manager gave us free desert for coming in during inclement weather so we picked chocolate ravioli. It's a puff pastry full of melty chocolate with a warm chocolate sauce drizzled on top and whipped cream. YUM!
After dinner, we cruised around town and enjoyed the non-crowded mall and great parking spots since no one else was out and about in the cold. In our travels, I found the perfect fabric for a 1940's wrap dress that I'll be making soon! :)
We stopped at a video game store so Pj could check out what kind of games he can get for his new Wii and I met a 3 year old little girl who was fascinated by my watering can purse. She invited me over to her house so I can help her water her mommy's garden. She said that she has a little watering can that really works and I can use it! :)
Outfit
70's Red and White Butterfly print Pinafore dress- estate sale?
cardiagn-thirfted, embellished by me
red and blue V for Victory bird pins- thirfted (FISH St Charles)
blueberry beret- Christmas gift from my mom
black maryjanes- thirfted, Salvation Army
Red Belt- The Vintage Haberdashery, St Louis
Red and butterscotch bakelite bangles- various thirft stores (thick red one, Christmas gift from Amanda)
Watering Can Purse- Gift from Grandma
sewing
Hello, everyone!
Lately, I've been finding a lot of beautiful vintage sewing, knitting and crochet patterns for free so I wanted to share all of them with you. I added a bunch of free sewing and crochet patterns this morning as well as some sewing tutorials. I will be adding many more patterns in the very near future so please check back frequently on my Free Patterns page.
If you have a link for a free pattern that you would like to share, please leave the link in a comment on the Free Patterns page. Also, if you are looking for a particular type of pattern, just ask- I may have one floating around or I may know where you can find it!
I hope everyone can take advantage of all of the lovely free patterns. Here are a few pics of my favorites, which are currently listed on the Free Patterns page:
Free Patterns for All!
Hello, everyone!
Lately, I've been finding a lot of beautiful vintage sewing, knitting and crochet patterns for free so I wanted to share all of them with you. I added a bunch of free sewing and crochet patterns this morning as well as some sewing tutorials. I will be adding many more patterns in the very near future so please check back frequently on my Free Patterns page.
If you have a link for a free pattern that you would like to share, please leave the link in a comment on the Free Patterns page. Also, if you are looking for a particular type of pattern, just ask- I may have one floating around or I may know where you can find it!
I hope everyone can take advantage of all of the lovely free patterns. Here are a few pics of my favorites, which are currently listed on the Free Patterns page:
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| sleeveless 1950's couture summer dress |
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| sailor pants, shorts or skirt |
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| crochet cross strap shoes |
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| crochet play shoes |
sewing
New Look, Vintage Look
One of my favorite blouse patterns is missing a few pieces so I popped online tonight to see if I could still find it. It's a modern simplicity pattern and it's still available! *yay* While I was searching, I noticed an ad for New Look vintage style patterns on Simplicity's website. I don't know if these are new or if they've been around for a while but they're new to me!
I love New Look patterns because they are always affordable, come in my size and are more realistic than a lot of those crazy vintage Vogue patterns that I love so much. They're not authentic vintage patterns but they provide some of the basics needed in any wardrobe. For those who want a vintage inspired look without looking too costume-like, New Look patterns are a great option. Here are some of my favorites- just $2.99 each! :) You can check out the whole vintage inspired collection here
I love New Look patterns because they are always affordable, come in my size and are more realistic than a lot of those crazy vintage Vogue patterns that I love so much. They're not authentic vintage patterns but they provide some of the basics needed in any wardrobe. For those who want a vintage inspired look without looking too costume-like, New Look patterns are a great option. Here are some of my favorites- just $2.99 each! :) You can check out the whole vintage inspired collection here
I've been a bit sewing obsessed lately. My sewing machine is broken and I'm going to have to replace it. :( Being without my machine feels like I've lost my right arm. In the mean time, I've been dreaming of things to make and re-sizing too small patterns to keep myself occupied. I hope I get my new machine soon!!
outfits
vintage maternity
Don't Shoot the Photographer
As some of you may know, my husband Pj is my blog photographer. He has a great eye for it and is very patient with me when it's cold, raining or scorching hot outside and I say "oh, just one more shot!"
Last night, after we got home from a few errands, I wanted to take some outfit pics. I really want to start taking more pictures of my outfits since I spend so much time shopping, sewing, and putting ensembles together.
I'm 27 weeks pregnant now, almost to the third trimester so a lot of my clothes are getting too snug or too short! I found this 60's dress from Absolute Vintage in Columbia. It's pretty big on me but I love the wrinkle-free fabric, the fun print and colors and the detail at the collar. I only have one other orange item in my closet so I was thrilled to find something else for fall. It's super comfy with the baby bump and once he's born, I plan on taking it in and having a really killer bombshell of a dress! I belted it under the bust with a black ribbon and wore comfy t-strap flats with it. Oh, my earrings are also from our Columbia trip, which I bought especially to match the dress! :)
It started snowing as soon as we got outside. It was cold, windy and the camera was not cooperating at all!! Most of my pictures turned out fuzzy and odd-looking and I was seriously not happy with my photographer after I uploaded them to the computer last night. I tried taking a few shots of Olivia playing today and soon realized that my camera sucks, NOT my photographer and I think I need to replace it. Honestly, it was the cheapest camera that I could find at walmart. I bought it over a year ago and have managed to not drop it and break it (unlike our past 2 cameras) so I think it may be time to upgrade to a grown-up camera. With the little dude on the way, I want something to capture all of his little giggles and drools anyway!
I did a little bit of camera research today, since I don't even know what a megapixel is! My mom has a lot of camera knowledge so hopefully she can point me in the direction of a decent quality, affordable camera. I kind of have my eye on a Canon Powershot A3000-IS.
I found one online for just over $100. I'm loving it because it has an optical image stabilizer (which helps with action shots) and can take good pictures in low light, which is a wonderful thing for fashion bloggers.
dress- Absolute Vintage, Columbia MO
vintage clip Earrings-The Market Place Antiques, Columbia MO
green hair bow- handmade by me with vintage ribbon and button
t-strap flats- Charlotte Russe
Last night, after we got home from a few errands, I wanted to take some outfit pics. I really want to start taking more pictures of my outfits since I spend so much time shopping, sewing, and putting ensembles together.
I'm 27 weeks pregnant now, almost to the third trimester so a lot of my clothes are getting too snug or too short! I found this 60's dress from Absolute Vintage in Columbia. It's pretty big on me but I love the wrinkle-free fabric, the fun print and colors and the detail at the collar. I only have one other orange item in my closet so I was thrilled to find something else for fall. It's super comfy with the baby bump and once he's born, I plan on taking it in and having a really killer bombshell of a dress! I belted it under the bust with a black ribbon and wore comfy t-strap flats with it. Oh, my earrings are also from our Columbia trip, which I bought especially to match the dress! :)
It started snowing as soon as we got outside. It was cold, windy and the camera was not cooperating at all!! Most of my pictures turned out fuzzy and odd-looking and I was seriously not happy with my photographer after I uploaded them to the computer last night. I tried taking a few shots of Olivia playing today and soon realized that my camera sucks, NOT my photographer and I think I need to replace it. Honestly, it was the cheapest camera that I could find at walmart. I bought it over a year ago and have managed to not drop it and break it (unlike our past 2 cameras) so I think it may be time to upgrade to a grown-up camera. With the little dude on the way, I want something to capture all of his little giggles and drools anyway!
I did a little bit of camera research today, since I don't even know what a megapixel is! My mom has a lot of camera knowledge so hopefully she can point me in the direction of a decent quality, affordable camera. I kind of have my eye on a Canon Powershot A3000-IS.
dress- Absolute Vintage, Columbia MO
vintage clip Earrings-The Market Place Antiques, Columbia MO
green hair bow- handmade by me with vintage ribbon and button
t-strap flats- Charlotte Russe
Vintage Lingerie Obsession
I've always loved the look of lace and silky undies. They're romantic, sexy and ultra feminine. I've wanted to sew my own frilly lingerie for ages and now I have the patterns to get started! Best of all, we've decided to stay in our current home for another year so I have to get rid of some of my fabric stash to make room for the baby and what better way to do it than to use it up!
A gal I used to work with gave me a ton of vintage satin, silk and lace in every color that you can imagine. Okay, maybe not "vintage" but it's from the 60's-70's so that's vintage enough for me. The best thing about sewing your own lingerie is that it doesn't use a lot of material so if I only have one yard of fabric, I can make a pair of bloomers or pretty camisole. Here are some of my inspirations (scroll to the bottom to see my patterns!)
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| Elizabeth Plum Bra by Ayten Gasson |
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| Elizabeth Plum Teddy by Ayten Gasson |
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| Elizabeth Olive Teddy By Ayten Gasson |
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| Lady M Teddy By Ayten Gasson |
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| Matilda Knicker and Bra by Ayten Gasson |
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| Vintage Bed Jacket |
If any of you gals ever wanted to try to sew your own pretty unmentionables, here are a few super easy patterns to get you started. I love these patterns because they are so basic that they can be embellished or adapted to make something really amazing.
Free Madeline mini bloomers pattern from Colette Patterns
I love the modern feel of these old-fashioned bloomers, I think I have a -bit- more of a butt (okay, a lot more of a butt) than these bloomers call for so mine will have a slightly higher waist and maybe longer legs.
80's Butterick pattern 5740- yeah, I'm not a fan of the 80's but these pieces are classic! I found this pattern on etsy from La Prairie Lady.
The teddy on the left reminded me of something from the 20's. If you add a few gores to the skirt of the full slip, it would be perfect with your favorite vintage dress.
Burdastyle "Jane" camisole and shorts #7997B ($2.50 on Burdastyle.com)
1920's chemise-inspired top by Casey's Elegant Musings
I'm also going to attempt to make a bunch of vintage inspired nursing bras. I love the comfort and support of my vintage bras. Nursing bras are very comfortable but they really don't do anything for my shape. I made a pattern last night using my favorite bullet bra so we'll see how that works!
sewing
Hello, darlings
I just spotted this excellent tutorial from Angie at Quality Time and I didn't want anyone to miss it!
This tutorial covers how to grade a vintage trouser pattern. So, if you have a too small or too big pattern that you love to death, you can still use it to make a fabulous pair of vintage pants!
Do pop over to check out Angie's sewing adventures and all of her wonderful tutorials at
http://jemimabean.blogspot.com
xoxo
*pattern image from Quality Time*
How to resize a trouser pattern from Quality Time
Hello, darlings
I just spotted this excellent tutorial from Angie at Quality Time and I didn't want anyone to miss it!
This tutorial covers how to grade a vintage trouser pattern. So, if you have a too small or too big pattern that you love to death, you can still use it to make a fabulous pair of vintage pants!
Do pop over to check out Angie's sewing adventures and all of her wonderful tutorials at
http://jemimabean.blogspot.com
xoxo
*pattern image from Quality Time*
sewing
I'm so excited, after finishing ALL of my current sewing projects, I finally get the chance to start something new! I have very few summer dresses so I picked this 1952 Vintage Vogue re-release pattern (available at your local fabric store in sizes 6-22) The pattern is Vogue 2902 View A. The dress is fully lined with a circle skirt and side zip closure. It also has an inside belt to help take some of the weight of the skirt off of the shoulder straps.
I read a few reviews about this pattern, some good, some not so good so we'll see what happens. One review from an experienced seamstress said that a muslin for the bodice is a must-do to get a good fit. I think I'll take her advice.
I am SO excited about the fabric that I picked. I needed over 4 yards for the whole dress and I really didn't want to spend $10 or more per yard on fancy repro fabric. After a while of searching etsy, I found this adorable Paris Market fabric from downshadowlane on etsy. I love the colors and the vintage feel of the fabric. I think it will be really fun for summer and cute with a cardigan for cool autumn days. I can't wait for my fabric to get here so I can start sewing! I'll let you all know how this pattern works out! UPDATE: I've had some emails asking if I know where to get more of this fabric and if I have any for sale. Unfortunely, I don't have any fabric and I have no idea where to get more!
1950's Paris Market Dress
I'm so excited, after finishing ALL of my current sewing projects, I finally get the chance to start something new! I have very few summer dresses so I picked this 1952 Vintage Vogue re-release pattern (available at your local fabric store in sizes 6-22) The pattern is Vogue 2902 View A. The dress is fully lined with a circle skirt and side zip closure. It also has an inside belt to help take some of the weight of the skirt off of the shoulder straps.
I read a few reviews about this pattern, some good, some not so good so we'll see what happens. One review from an experienced seamstress said that a muslin for the bodice is a must-do to get a good fit. I think I'll take her advice.
I am SO excited about the fabric that I picked. I needed over 4 yards for the whole dress and I really didn't want to spend $10 or more per yard on fancy repro fabric. After a while of searching etsy, I found this adorable Paris Market fabric from downshadowlane on etsy. I love the colors and the vintage feel of the fabric. I think it will be really fun for summer and cute with a cardigan for cool autumn days. I can't wait for my fabric to get here so I can start sewing! I'll let you all know how this pattern works out! UPDATE: I've had some emails asking if I know where to get more of this fabric and if I have any for sale. Unfortunely, I don't have any fabric and I have no idea where to get more!
outfits
vintage tour of Missouri
Vintage Tour of Missouri: Columbia
I have been wanting to go shopping in Columbia, Missouri for a REALLY long time but it's over an hour long drive. We finally decided to go this past Saturday. Olivia stayed with my mom for the day so Pj would be free of wrangling her while I shop...plus- I don't think that much shopping would be fun for a little girl!
Columbia is a college town, located right between St. Louis and Kansas City."The District" is the city's bohemian cultural center, loaded with shops, art galleries, places to eat- and of course- all of the great vintage clothing stores! Lucky for us, they're all packed tightly together. We spent about 6 hours exploring Columbia. It's a really neat city with lots of old houses, trendy shops, great places to eat and vintage galore!!
Absolute Vintage
923 East Broadway
Columbia, MO 65201-4857
(573) 875-8440
Our first stop of the day was Absolute Vintage. We got to Columbia a bit early so we stopped outside to peek in the window of pretties before the shop opened.
Within a few minutes, the owner arrived and let us in to start our shopping adventures.
Absolute Vintage was absolutely wonderful! The colorful shop was very well organized according to size and garment type. All of the lovely hats, belts, crinolines and jewelry were neatly separated and displayed so that everything could be easily seen.
Even the shoes were organized according to size- which is something I -never- see in St Louis! With funky retro decor and the assortment of sparkly jewelry and vintage clothing, Absolute Vintage is a feast for the eyes.
The shop owner (which I regret, I didn't catch her name!) was very helpful in taking things to the dressing room for us. Her prices were very affordable and I left the shop with a few sale items! Absolute Vintage carries an excellent selection of clothing and accessories from the 1930's to a few modern day pieces. She really does have one of the best collections of older clothing in Columbia.
Everything is in wonderful vintage condition. She carries sizes extra small to extra large as well as a collection of men's clothing and accessories. I wish we had a shop like Absolute Vintage in St Louis! If you're in the Lincoln Nebraska area, be sure to visit Absolute Vintage's sister shop, Ruby Begonia's!
Oh, here I am, looking for a pair of gloves.
Maude Vintage
810 E. Broadway
(573) 449-3320
Next, we walked right across the street to Maude Vintage Clothing.
Like the shop across the way, Maude was also very well organized, decorated and colorful. I really appreciate well organized shops. It makes finding what you need so much easier!
Maude Vintage caters more to the trendy college kids in the area than "old ladies" like us but she did have a lot of super cute shoes, blouses in every size and price range and a whole rack of gorgeous deadstock clothing!
Maude Vintage also rents out costumes and accessories for special events. Even out of season, Maude carries swimwear, rompers and warm weather wear to keep you inspired to build that summer wardrobe.
Leo's Old Clothes
9 N. Ninth St.
(573) 449-2001
To be honest, neither of us thought that Leo's Old Clothes sounded like it would be a great find but wow, were we -wrong-! From the street, Leo's Old Clothes is only seen by the sign on the door, which lists regular store hours on weekends and for weekdays "when the door is open". A short climb up a yellow, sparkly staircase should have made it obvious that we were on our way to the "Land of Oz.
Leo's Old Clothes is located in a large attic space, which seems to go on forever. It's a wild, crazy jumble of antique clothes, vintage clothes, military surplus and everything in between. It's been around for about 40 years. We had no idea where to start so we asked the sweet gal behind the counter who said "we don't really do that here- it's kind of all over the place!"
She does her best to organize as much as she can but working for Jack, the owner of Leo's old clothes must be like working for a mad scientist. She explained that Jack is a really funny character who travels the world finding interesting things for his shop. You never know where you might find Jack or what Jack might find and bring home with him.
As we rummaged through racks of clothes, shelves of antique shoes and piles of clothes in every nook and cranny, Malcolm, one of the store cats followed us around, rubbing on our ankles trying to get some love. He joined us in the dressing room to make sure everything fit and directed our attention to the jewelry in the display case at the check out. Leo's Old Clothes also has a fluffy, white resident dog and shy gray kitty, all of which were very sweet and good company for shopping! :)
You never know what you will find at Leo's...or what you won't find. We fell in love with some of the 1930's shoes in the back corner but some were missing the matching shoe! The gal behind the counter said "I have no idea where that shoe is! It could be in a box, in Jack's van, who knows." After a few minutes of thinking it over, she recalled a wild party that took place in the shop a few nights before. She dove behind a couch and pulled out one of the missing shoes. *lol* That's Leo's Old Clothes, in a nutshell and I -LOVE- it!!
I was thrilled that Pj found something for himself too. Here he is in his -very- exciting, brand new gas mask. Aww, how cute!
Leo's is a must-do stop if you're ever traveling through Mid-Missouri. I left with an incredible vintage jacket- I guess it's from the 30's or 40's as well as 3 pairs of deadstock, high waist men's work trousers! Amanda caught the "epic find of the day" in a stunning 1930's brown dress with original belt and matching jacket for the bargain price of $25! She also found a mustard yellow knit top from the 50's, 4 pairs of deadstock jeans and a few other awesome finds, which I lost track of. One of my favorite things about Leo's is that they will do their best to work with you on the price of a lot of things. Jack is very firm on some of his prices (like his military surplus helmets) but he was able to cut us $5 off on each pair of jeans. You never know, so just ask! Here we are with our haul from Leo's Old Clothes:
Blackberry Exchange
16 S. Ninth
(573) 499-0420
Just down the street from Leo's Old Clothes is the Blackberry Exchange. When we first walked in, we were hit by thumping trendy rap music and the gleam of sequins on super mini party dresses. I didn't think we'd have much luck but we hit the sale racks just in case. I was really surprised to find a ton of older items, mixed in with new and everything in between. During our visit, the 50% off winter sale was going on and I found a super cute 70's cape for just $8. It reminds me of Little Red Riding Hood. Inventory from Blackberry Exchange comes from people who bring in clothes to sell so you never know what you might find. They had a great selection of cute modern shoes, vintage sweaters and coats as well as a $1- and you know how I love a bargain! I imagine that shops like Blackberry Exchange change out their inventory for the seasons so it's good to visit these places frequently. Since it's vintage mixed with modern, we found clothes for all sizes and all tastes all for a great price, regardless of era. Places like Blackberry Exchange are a great option for the vintage loving gal (or guy) on a budget! Bonus about Blackberry Exchange- it's just a few doors down from "Get Lost! Bookshop" so Joe and Pj were able to escape the vintage shopping for a little while and find some goodies for themselves as well. I loved these knitted "sweaters" for the parking meters!
The Market Place Antiques
1100 Business Loop 70 West
Columbia, MO 65202
(573) 443-1970
We didn't plan to stop at any antique malls on our trip but The Market Place was right off the highway on our way out of town. Our feet hurt like hell, our hair was all messed up from the windy day but we made 4 stops and still had a little cash so we decided to stop. The boys were such good sports all day too and they both love antique malls so it was fun for them to look at things to peak their interests also.
The Market Place was overwhelmingly huge but we actually did cover the whole 38,000 square feet in about an hour. I love off-the-highway antique malls because they always have such a great variety of things and usually good sales. Many booths had 20-50% off sales, which we took advantage of! Amanda found a case loaded with vintage compacts, bakelite, celluloid and other amazing jewelry pieces all marked 50% off. She bought a beautiful yellow bell bracelet and pink celluloid necklace for a song.
I love to dig through piles of stuff and corners of booths in the back of the store because that's where I always find my best treasures. I left the antique mall with an awesome lucite box purse (missing handles), which was marked "Old box with sewing contents $4.95", a vintage wicker purse with lucite handles, a new hat and a pair of vintage earrings to match my new dress from Absolute Vintage.
We all had a blast but I did miss my Livvie-Lu. When we got back to my mom's house, we showed off all of our pretties from the day. Olivia loved my new purse and hat: I hope that we get to go back to Columbia sometime soon- this time, hopefully we'll plan it during warmer weather and I'll bring flip flops! Our guys were SO tired by the end of the day, as you can tell by Joe yawning in the background! They're very good sports, though! Thanks, boys- we love you!
Next major road trip: Springfield, MO
Columbia is a college town, located right between St. Louis and Kansas City."The District" is the city's bohemian cultural center, loaded with shops, art galleries, places to eat- and of course- all of the great vintage clothing stores! Lucky for us, they're all packed tightly together. We spent about 6 hours exploring Columbia. It's a really neat city with lots of old houses, trendy shops, great places to eat and vintage galore!!
Absolute Vintage
923 East Broadway
Columbia, MO 65201-4857
(573) 875-8440
Our first stop of the day was Absolute Vintage. We got to Columbia a bit early so we stopped outside to peek in the window of pretties before the shop opened.
Within a few minutes, the owner arrived and let us in to start our shopping adventures.
Absolute Vintage was absolutely wonderful! The colorful shop was very well organized according to size and garment type. All of the lovely hats, belts, crinolines and jewelry were neatly separated and displayed so that everything could be easily seen.
Even the shoes were organized according to size- which is something I -never- see in St Louis! With funky retro decor and the assortment of sparkly jewelry and vintage clothing, Absolute Vintage is a feast for the eyes.
The shop owner (which I regret, I didn't catch her name!) was very helpful in taking things to the dressing room for us. Her prices were very affordable and I left the shop with a few sale items! Absolute Vintage carries an excellent selection of clothing and accessories from the 1930's to a few modern day pieces. She really does have one of the best collections of older clothing in Columbia.
Everything is in wonderful vintage condition. She carries sizes extra small to extra large as well as a collection of men's clothing and accessories. I wish we had a shop like Absolute Vintage in St Louis! If you're in the Lincoln Nebraska area, be sure to visit Absolute Vintage's sister shop, Ruby Begonia's!
Oh, here I am, looking for a pair of gloves.
810 E. Broadway
(573) 449-3320
Next, we walked right across the street to Maude Vintage Clothing.
Like the shop across the way, Maude was also very well organized, decorated and colorful. I really appreciate well organized shops. It makes finding what you need so much easier!
Maude Vintage caters more to the trendy college kids in the area than "old ladies" like us but she did have a lot of super cute shoes, blouses in every size and price range and a whole rack of gorgeous deadstock clothing!
Maude Vintage also rents out costumes and accessories for special events. Even out of season, Maude carries swimwear, rompers and warm weather wear to keep you inspired to build that summer wardrobe.
Leo's Old Clothes
9 N. Ninth St.
(573) 449-2001
To be honest, neither of us thought that Leo's Old Clothes sounded like it would be a great find but wow, were we -wrong-! From the street, Leo's Old Clothes is only seen by the sign on the door, which lists regular store hours on weekends and for weekdays "when the door is open". A short climb up a yellow, sparkly staircase should have made it obvious that we were on our way to the "Land of Oz.
Leo's Old Clothes is located in a large attic space, which seems to go on forever. It's a wild, crazy jumble of antique clothes, vintage clothes, military surplus and everything in between. It's been around for about 40 years. We had no idea where to start so we asked the sweet gal behind the counter who said "we don't really do that here- it's kind of all over the place!"
She does her best to organize as much as she can but working for Jack, the owner of Leo's old clothes must be like working for a mad scientist. She explained that Jack is a really funny character who travels the world finding interesting things for his shop. You never know where you might find Jack or what Jack might find and bring home with him.
As we rummaged through racks of clothes, shelves of antique shoes and piles of clothes in every nook and cranny, Malcolm, one of the store cats followed us around, rubbing on our ankles trying to get some love. He joined us in the dressing room to make sure everything fit and directed our attention to the jewelry in the display case at the check out. Leo's Old Clothes also has a fluffy, white resident dog and shy gray kitty, all of which were very sweet and good company for shopping! :)
You never know what you will find at Leo's...or what you won't find. We fell in love with some of the 1930's shoes in the back corner but some were missing the matching shoe! The gal behind the counter said "I have no idea where that shoe is! It could be in a box, in Jack's van, who knows." After a few minutes of thinking it over, she recalled a wild party that took place in the shop a few nights before. She dove behind a couch and pulled out one of the missing shoes. *lol* That's Leo's Old Clothes, in a nutshell and I -LOVE- it!!
I was thrilled that Pj found something for himself too. Here he is in his -very- exciting, brand new gas mask. Aww, how cute!
Leo's is a must-do stop if you're ever traveling through Mid-Missouri. I left with an incredible vintage jacket- I guess it's from the 30's or 40's as well as 3 pairs of deadstock, high waist men's work trousers! Amanda caught the "epic find of the day" in a stunning 1930's brown dress with original belt and matching jacket for the bargain price of $25! She also found a mustard yellow knit top from the 50's, 4 pairs of deadstock jeans and a few other awesome finds, which I lost track of. One of my favorite things about Leo's is that they will do their best to work with you on the price of a lot of things. Jack is very firm on some of his prices (like his military surplus helmets) but he was able to cut us $5 off on each pair of jeans. You never know, so just ask! Here we are with our haul from Leo's Old Clothes:
Blackberry Exchange
16 S. Ninth
(573) 499-0420
Just down the street from Leo's Old Clothes is the Blackberry Exchange. When we first walked in, we were hit by thumping trendy rap music and the gleam of sequins on super mini party dresses. I didn't think we'd have much luck but we hit the sale racks just in case. I was really surprised to find a ton of older items, mixed in with new and everything in between. During our visit, the 50% off winter sale was going on and I found a super cute 70's cape for just $8. It reminds me of Little Red Riding Hood. Inventory from Blackberry Exchange comes from people who bring in clothes to sell so you never know what you might find. They had a great selection of cute modern shoes, vintage sweaters and coats as well as a $1- and you know how I love a bargain! I imagine that shops like Blackberry Exchange change out their inventory for the seasons so it's good to visit these places frequently. Since it's vintage mixed with modern, we found clothes for all sizes and all tastes all for a great price, regardless of era. Places like Blackberry Exchange are a great option for the vintage loving gal (or guy) on a budget! Bonus about Blackberry Exchange- it's just a few doors down from "Get Lost! Bookshop" so Joe and Pj were able to escape the vintage shopping for a little while and find some goodies for themselves as well. I loved these knitted "sweaters" for the parking meters!
The Market Place Antiques
1100 Business Loop 70 West
Columbia, MO 65202
(573) 443-1970
We didn't plan to stop at any antique malls on our trip but The Market Place was right off the highway on our way out of town. Our feet hurt like hell, our hair was all messed up from the windy day but we made 4 stops and still had a little cash so we decided to stop. The boys were such good sports all day too and they both love antique malls so it was fun for them to look at things to peak their interests also.
The Market Place was overwhelmingly huge but we actually did cover the whole 38,000 square feet in about an hour. I love off-the-highway antique malls because they always have such a great variety of things and usually good sales. Many booths had 20-50% off sales, which we took advantage of! Amanda found a case loaded with vintage compacts, bakelite, celluloid and other amazing jewelry pieces all marked 50% off. She bought a beautiful yellow bell bracelet and pink celluloid necklace for a song.
I love to dig through piles of stuff and corners of booths in the back of the store because that's where I always find my best treasures. I left the antique mall with an awesome lucite box purse (missing handles), which was marked "Old box with sewing contents $4.95", a vintage wicker purse with lucite handles, a new hat and a pair of vintage earrings to match my new dress from Absolute Vintage.
We all had a blast but I did miss my Livvie-Lu. When we got back to my mom's house, we showed off all of our pretties from the day. Olivia loved my new purse and hat: I hope that we get to go back to Columbia sometime soon- this time, hopefully we'll plan it during warmer weather and I'll bring flip flops! Our guys were SO tired by the end of the day, as you can tell by Joe yawning in the background! They're very good sports, though! Thanks, boys- we love you!
Next major road trip: Springfield, MO
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